Police fined 750 motorists in the first two days of a campaign against tailgating on the capital’s roads.
Most of the fines were issued on Al Khaleej Al Arabi Street and Mahawi Street – in the direction of Abu Dhabi – and other city streets, Lt Col Hamad al Ameri, the head of the traffic investigation section of the Abu Dhabi traffic and patrols department, said yesterday.
The majority were handed out during peak hours in the morning and around noon, Lt Col al Ameri said.
The number of fines issued was more than double the 351 given out the previous month.
Lt Col al Ameri said most of the motorists fined were young and were not keeping a safe distance from vehicles ahead of them, annoying other drivers and creating a major risk on the road.
Sixteen unmarked police cars are patrolling the roads as part of the “Leave Space Before it is Too Late” campaign, which began on Sunday. The number of officers on patrol has also been stepped up.
Drivers ticketed for tailgating face a fine of Dh400 (US$110) and four black points on their licence… SOURCE
When a ban on men working in women’s shops was announced two months ago, there were concerns that security could be a problem without male guards.
But few could have predicted the move would lead to a cross-dressing crime wave.
On Monday, police arrested seven Afghans whom they accuse of dressing in abayas to rob stores. The men targeted shops staffed only by women, a senior police officer said.
The abayas brought the dual benefit of gaining the men access to women-only shops and disguising their identity to make them harder to catch… SOURCE
“We [had] several complaints of men robbing women shops almost on a daily basis,” the officer said. “The cases were so many that police decided to make a plot to catch the criminals.”
The thieves would usually enter stores staffed by a lone saleswoman and threaten her with a knife. They would take money, clothes and jewellery.
Hundreds of workers went on strike claiming unpaid salaries, and though the Ministry of Labour found no labour discrepancies, the protests continued till late on Monday.
About 300 workers of Al Habtoor Engineering demonstrated peacefully at a Deira labour accommodation on Sunday night. By Monday morning, the protests spread to the accommodation in Jebel Ali and a worksite in Deira.
Though these sporadic incidents were brought under control by the police and labour ministry officials, amid claims of resolution, it was clearly far from over.
Police control said 400 people marched from Jebel Ali to Al Quoz on Monday night over the same issue. Some were seen throwing garbage cans in departure from the peaceful trend.
Acting Labour Ministry Director-General Humaid bin Deemas told official news agency Wam, “An inspection of the company records clearly showed that it had been paying the wages of the workers with delay or deductions.”
Colonel Ali Abdulla Al Ghaithi, Deputy Director of General Department of Emergency of the Dubai Police and Transport Security Supervisor, said of the earlier two incidents, “It was a peaceful.” None was injured nor damage caused… SOURCE
More than a year ago, Dubai quietly launched a wide-ranging anti-corruption investigation to revitalise investor confidence in the emirate.
The results of the operation so far, revealed to The National, are staggering: 11 investigations or court cases are under way; 34 executives are either in court or on their way there; and Dh3.58 billion (US$950 million) has allegedly been stolen or used as bribe money, according to files from public prosecutors that give the first overview of the whole operation.
Since March 2008, investigators appointed by the Dubai Government have been looking into executives from some of Dubai’s leading real estate and financial firms, a move acknowledged by the Government for the first time a year ago this week. In an online question-and-answer session earlier this year, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said the reason was simple: “No one in the Emirates is above the law and accountability.”…SOURCE
Dubai seriously needs to reconsider what it wants to be. No one will visit the equivalent of Saudi Arabia on a vacation.
Dubai’s shopping malls don’t just combine the awesome collections of international brand labels, but go further to enlighten newcomers on Emirati cultural rules and what’s the acceptable general behaviour.
The rules are on signs at the main entrances and distributed by security personnel as well.
It includes no smoking in the mall, wearing of respectable clothing and no kissing or public displays of affection, no consumption of alcohol in the mall and few other don’ts.
Sabina Khanvwani, Head of Public Relations and Marketing Department at Burjuman Centre, said despite the signs, there are still visitors who still need to be reminded of what is and what is not acceptable.
“Burjuman has already fixed stickers on the main entrances in order to deliver the message directly to them, some of them adhere and others don’t. We cannot enforce them to comply but we keep reminding them that Dubai is part of the UAE and it’s a Muslim country with a conservative society and must be respected.”
Most expatriates Gulf News spoke to say they didn’t do things on purpose or to annoy the Emirati community. They just grew up dressing that way.
Tania N. a 29-year-old Russian businesswoman, said she got confused when a security guard at the Mall of the Emirates handed her a brochure on how to dress appropriately.
“I respect Dubai, its religion, culture and people, I come here frequently for business and pleasure, and I was never asked to cover my shoulders or my knees until recently,” she said.
“I used to wear a sleeveless short gown or miniskirt and according to my background it is a decent outfit and doesn’t cause any kind of embarrassment. But lately a security approached me and in a polite way handed me a brochure that includes the mall’s courtesy policy regarding dress code and general behaviour.”
Asked whether she will adhere to the mall’s dress code, she said: “I really don’t find it necessary, besides I don’t have long or covered outfits, and the most importantly I didn’t do something bad to Dubai or its people.”
Katayoon Tahmoress M, an Iranian writer based in Dubai agrees with Tania.
“I love Dubai and I like its style. But the way I dress is completely a personal matter and I don’t allow anybody to educate me on what to wear and what not to wear.”
Gabriel and Elena, both Americans, said the visitors and expatriates should’ve been informed of the dress and behavioural rules before they fly into the country.
“Such instructions should be informed before we enter the country not while we are shopping. Besides the weather in Dubai is truly hot,” they said.
Mariam Al Salem and her Emirati companions said visitors and expatriates should tow the line.
“Our rules must be strictly followed,” Mariam said… SOURCE
Marnie Pearce shuffles into the narrow, glass-fronted booth from where she greets visitors at Dubai’s Al Awir women’s jail.
Ill-fitting, dusty-pink drawstring pants and a matching shirt hang loosely on her gaunt frame – she has lost nearly a stone since being imprisoned for adultery seven weeks ago.
Despite the artful application of make-up, her once glowing complexion is pale and dry. Her face is drawn into a tight mask of despair and her long, blonde hair, which was her crowning glory, reveals prominent dark roots.
The former florist from Berkshire has become an unlikely cause celebre for human rights campaigners – Amnesty International has called for her immediate release – since her dubious conviction under draconian Sharia law.
She was sentenced to six months, cut on appeal to three, after her former husband, an Egyptian, told police she had been having an affair. And Marnie, 40, has clearly been struggling to cope with life behind bars.
Marnie and Ihab on their wedding day. Soon after they married Ihab became violent towards her, subjecting her to ‘years of abuse’
She has not seen her children, Laith, eight, and Ziad, four, since she was locked up.
…
Marnie’s nightmare began on March 27 last year when police raided the family home in a smart suburb of Dubai. They found her inside with Brian Clark, also British, who was visiting from Saudi Arabia.
Marnie was arrested and Ihab, 41, claimed she was having an affair. The family’s Indonesian maid, whose salary he pays, gave supportive evidence.
Under strict Muslim edict, it is unlawful for a woman to be alone in her home with a man, other than her husband or a family member.
The rule is rarely enforced for Westerners. And Marnie certainly hadn’t concerned herself because in the past Ihab had always held liberal views on such matters. She had not counted on him exploiting the system to avoid an expensive Western divorce and custody battle.
‘Ihab set me up,’ Marnie insists, jabbing her finger as she becomes increasingly animated. ‘I did nothing wrong. He bribed the maid to spy on me and then planted used condoms as evidence.’…SOURCE
Yet another stupid decision. If the Etisalat and DU software isn’t powerful enough to detect the nude photos on Flickr, they should take the ban off completely.
Photographers can no longer share their photos with the country’s online community after telecommunications provider Du blocked the web site on Monday.
Etisalat has blocked the web site since 2006 because of nude images, but up until Monday, it could still be accessed through rival provider, Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company, popularly known as Du.
The move will mean that dozens of photographers who had used the site to display their work will be deniedaccess altogether.
One photographer, Catalin Marin, said he had access to Flickr since he lived in Nakheel-owned properties which used Du as a service provider.
“I’ve been able to sell some of my work through Flickr to magazines around the world,” he said. “It’s a massive bummer that they chosen to do this.
“There are some images on the site which use nudity for art, but this shouldn’t mean that the whole site shouldbe blocked.”
Guidelines for the censorship of the web are set by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA). Content which promotes pornography, gambling and drugs, or those which defame religion, are blocked under guidelines set by the TRA… http://khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=/data/theuae/2009/March/theuae_March450.xml§ion=theuae
Dubai: Speed radars and Salik toll gate cameras will be able to detect unregistered vehicles and issue fines automatically, the Roads and Transport Authority in Dubai said.
“This is a good opportunity to remind all vehicle owners of the need to ensure timely vehicle registration, which is now assisted by the RTA sending a reminder SMS to each owner two weeks prior to registration expiry,” said Ahmad Bahrouzian, CEO of RTA Licensing Agency.
The number of vehicle owners who don’t bother to renew their vehicle registration and insurance certificates on due dates is on the rise, thus making themselves vulnerable to multiple risks and fines…
03/13/2009 09:46 AM | By Bassam Za’za’, Senior Reporter
Dubai: An intoxicated couple, from Myanmar, were given a reduced jail term after being convicted of having sex on Jumeirah Beach and committing an indecent act in public.
The couple, a 26-year-old salesman and a 20-year-old saleswoman, had earlier admitted having sex on the beachside and pleaded for leniency before the Dubai Court of Appeal, which Thursday overturned the initial ruling.
Presiding Judge Adnan Al Farra granted the couple a reduced punishment when he awarded them three months for having consensual sex in public and committing public indecency. The judge awarded then an additional month in jail for having liquor.
The two will be deported after serving their sentences
The Appeals Court on Thursday overturned the primary verdict – one year in jail for consensual sex and public indecency and one month in jail for consuming liquor – delivered by the Dubai Court of First Instance.
“I did consume liquor and have consensual sex with my partner, but I didn’t commit any indecency in public& there was no one watching us when we had sex on the beach,” said the salesman, L.Z…
03/06/2009 02:09 PM | By Bassam Za’za’, Senior Reporter
Dubai: A salesman has denied committing public indecency and claimed in court that no one was watching him when he had consensual sex with his female partner on Jumeirah beach.
Records said the 26-year-old salesman, from Myanmar, was caught having sex with his 20-year-old compatriot saleswoman on the open beach.
The couple, who are currently detained, pleaded for leniency when they appeared before Presiding Judge Adnan Al Farra of the Dubai Appeals Court yesterday.
“I did consume liquor and had consensual sex with my partner, but I didn’t commit any indecency in public… there was no one watching when we were on the beach,” argued the salesman, L.Z.
When the judge confronted the saleswoman, K.P., with the charges, she admitted having sex with her compatriot but maintained that she was intoxicated and pleaded not-guilty on the charge of public indecency.
Records show the couple were charged with having sex on Jumeirah’s public beach, committing public indecency and consuming alcohol…
when he had consensual sex with his female partner on Jumeirah beach.
